In Pokémon Pokopia, we only encounter other pocket monsters, but not other humans. Therefore, it is even more important that the individual creatures have a unique personality, as the developers explain.
What is special about friendships? The Japanese magazine Famitsu conducted an interview with the developers of Pokémon Pokopia. Representatives from The Pokémon Company, Game Freak, and Koei Tecmo Games were involved.
As Kanako Murata, producer of Pokopia, revealed, The Pokémon Company was responsible for localization. Senior Director Shigeru Omori (Game Freak) responded that the localization was likely a challenge compared to other works of Pokémon:
The localization was likely particularly difficult compared to other Pokémon works. One of the reasons I wanted to make Ditto the main character was that I wanted to depict a conversation between Pokémon this time. I didn’t want to show a relationship between trainer and Pokémon, but rather that of friends who are so close that they can also tease each other.
Omori was surprised at how many unique dialogue lines ended up being created. Chief Director Takuto Edagawa (Koei Tecmo) emphasized the importance of highlighting the individuality of each Pokémon.
Due to the sheer volume of text, the title is considered one of the best Pokémon games of all time. Sounds familiar, right?
Huge amount of text also in another Pokémon game
Where else is there such a large amount of text? The many dialogues and the individuality of the Pokémon remind one of the Mystery Dungeon series. In it, we wake up as Pokémon and must fight our way through randomly generated dungeons.
We form a rescue team and develop a deep friendship with our best friend. There are many emotional stories, which is why the series is so popular among fans. The Pokémon feel so lively and unique, as is probably also aimed for in Pokopia.
What kinds of friendships are there in Pokopia? Since the Pokémon live in a sort of post-apocalypse, there are no other humans. You can only interact with other Pokémon that settle in the habitats of the map.
An important point of contact is Professor Tangoloss. He takes care of us and all Pokémon that settle in our area. He not only guides us through important game mechanics, but also becomes a mentor.
In addition, there are special Pokémon like the Schlappchu, where we first have to find out what has happened to them in the game.
Was Mystery Dungeon really that good? This is what MeinMMO editor Jasmin thinks: In fact, the spin-off series is rather average. On Metacritic, the ratings hover around 65 points. Critics criticize the repetitive gameplay associated with the dungeons.
However, for those who see the monotonous gameplay more as meditation, Mystery Dungeon is one of the best spin-offs. I am also a huge fan of the series. This is mainly due to the different personalities that characterized the individual characters.
I fondly remember my partner Bisasam as he went through tough times with me. I have never been able to build such a bond with another Pokémon. I hope that it will be similar in Pokémon Pokopia.
The headline of the article should therefore be seen with a wink, as it was written from the perspective of a die-hard Mystery Dungeon fan.
MeinMMO editor Niko is also a big fan of Pokémon and looks forward to Pokopia. However, he is concerned about the number of pocket monsters that will be found in this title. You can read his concerns here: Pokémon Pokopia is already better than Legends Z-A in an important aspect 3 weeks before release, but that’s still not enough
